HomeICC T20 World Cup 2024ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024: "This Time We Tried To Cover...

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: “This Time We Tried To Cover Each And Everything” – Harmanpreet Kaur

Fielding and fitness were the main issues India addressed in preparation for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, shared captain Harmanpreet Kaur and coach Amol Muzumdar in their pre-departure press conference.

However, Team India recently lost to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final, a loss the captain said she “will remember” and put down to “a lot of fumbles” in the field as well, including ground fielding and dropped catches as well. To work on that, the Indian team got together and participated in a series of camps at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to prepare for the marquee event as well.

“We did a lot of fitness and fielding in the first camp; the entire 15 days were delegated to that aspect of the game,” Muzumdar said. “This was specifically done for those two areas where the skills weren’t touched. The next camp was just the skill camp where we focused not just on the net session but we also had almost 5 games in 10 days time. So if you ask for game time, we have ticked that box. And we played some very competitive games. There were different oppositions, there were different skill sets that were chosen for those particular games. So as far as game time is concerned, I think we are on it.”

“We focused on the athletic ability, just to enhance the athletic ability. And we had designed the camp specifically on that aspect. And all-round fielding ability. Some yoga sessions were added, some, you know, psychological sessions were added. Overall it was just a lovely camp. We identified a few areas and we tried to work upon it,” he further added.

Meanwhile, Harmanpreet Kaur, who shared that she is feeling as excited as a “19-year-old” for this ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, said that the squad has worked hard to handle situations like the Asia Cup final as well.

“If I talk about the entire tournament, we played good cricket” – Harmanpreet Kaur

“If I talk about the entire tournament, we played good cricket but had just had that one odd game. Definitely that day, things didn’t go according to the way we wanted. But yeah, there are a lot of areas where as a team, we sat and discussed how we have to go about it. We are working on that and at the previous camp, we tried to see how we can improve if next time these kinds of situations come our way,” Harmanpreet Kaur added.

Along with the physical and technical aspects of the game, India also worked on the mental side of the game during their camp with sports psychologist Mugdha Bavare, who will be accompanying the team to the UAE as well.

“We had a camp where we did not touch skills. In that we tried to introduce the psychologist,” Amol Muzumdar revealed. “That is an area we would like to tap into. I was pretty happy with the results, what we had by the end of the camp. There were certain things that we tried to address. Mugdha Bavare was with us and she’s been fantastic with the group and she continues to be there.”

Harmanpreet Kaur also spoke about having open discussions within the team as part of the mental preparation camp as well.

Team India registered a comfortable win over Pakistan. (Image: ACC) ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024
Team India registered a comfortable win. (Image: ACC)

“I think this time we tried to, you know, cover each and everything. I felt in the past we had left some small, small things; this time we tried to speak to the coach and Mugdha ma’am,” Harmanpreet said.

She again added, “When you talk personally, you know what you are talking about and the areas you want to focus on. But when it comes to the team, it is important that everyone opens up so that as a team we can work together and help the player as needed. We had a few sessions where we talked to each other about how we are feeling and how we want to go about it. With Mugdha’s help, there were a lot of sessions after which we felt well and then after executing it on the ground, we felt well. She’s really working hard and so far it is really helping us.”

However, Team India have notably come close to winning ICC titles on a few times but has failed short of victory, including in the 2020 final at the MCG. Most recently, in the 2023 T20 World Cup, they were once again lost to Australia, this time in the semifinals as well.

“It was hard, you know, when last time we came close and then we lost,” Harmanpreet Kaur said. “But, you know, every time you just need to think about all the positives which you have done to reach the semis. And then, you know, working hard on yourself, working hard on your fitness and fielding, which are the most important two areas in cricket.”

And I think in this tournament whatever time we got, we tried to tick all the boxes because going there, I didn’t want to go with that mindset [that] I haven’t done this, I haven’t done that. Whoever was there, we spoke to them, ‘you know, I want this, I want that’. They gave me all the freedom to speak to them. They were giving whatever things I was asking and being really grateful. They’ve been so helpful during this time,” she shared again.

However, Amol Muzumdar opened up on the need to adapt to the extra bounce in Dubai while Harmanpreet Kaur shared that dew could play an even more important role than it does in the subcontinent as well.

“It came as a surprise for everyone. We had specifically gone to Bangladesh in May and played 5 T20Is to get used to conditions,” Muzumdar said. “But things have changed and it has shifted to Dubai. I think conditions would be similar to what we are over here in India… You know, at the start of the season, I think there will be a little bit of bounce on the surfaces in Dubai especially. But rest over the conditions, they remain the same, just like India.”

“We are going to the month of September. So there will be a lot of heat over there, [it will be] hot and humid. But I think we’ll have to go there and just assess the situation, assess the ground conditions first. We do have three games at Dubai and then one game at Sharjah. So, you know, we’ll have to really go there, feel the pitch, and then decide how and which bowlers and what combination we need to play,” he expressed.

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: “I can say that this is the best team we are going forward with” – Harmanpreet Kaur

However, Harmanpreet Kaur echoed her coach’s sentiments on the importance of staying flexible with bowling changes as well.

“Look, we have most of the games at night, so dew plays a big, big role,” she said. “And, you know, we have good spinners. And at the same time, we have Pooja and Renuka, who are doing really well. So I think when dew is the factor, that time you have to see, you know, who is your best bowler. And accordingly, you know, we will just go there and see who is the best for the team. So right now for me, it’s really difficult to tell, you know, how the pitch is going to be and what spin is going to do there. We’ll just go there and see how the conditions are and accordingly, you know, we’ll see what is the most effective player on a given day and just go accordingly.”

However, Amol Muzumdar also opened up on the No. 3 batter as well.

“We have identified [the No. 3] but we will, we will try and reveal that only just before the team 11 is announced,” he said. “So I think, yeah, number three is something very, very special to us. I know for a fact that in T20, the number three position sets the game up in any form of the game, actually. So yeah, we’ll try and reveal that only closer to the game.”

Harmanpreet Kaur, too without revealing the No.3 batter, said that this was the “best team” as well.

“If I talk about this team, we have few players who’ve been playing for a long time and they know their roles well. I’m quite confident with this team and I can say that this is the best team we are going forward with.”


Click Here to get the latest news related to Women’s Cricket. You can also check about Match predictions here. Like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more updates.

RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

- Advertisment -

Recent article